Evangelicals tend to assume that Christian faith is on the run. This interpretation comes from a variety of experiences: Christian organizations are forced by human rights commissions to defend their rights to belief and lifestyle; religious symbols are stripped at special times of the year from the public space; Ontario religious schools were denied fair tax breaks; we struggled to get a fair hearing on public policy issues such as marriage.

We feel we are unfairly depicted as Neanderthals, naively supporting antiquated interpretations of issues like marriage. We see our Christian faith is marginalized.

That is how it seems on the surface; however, it may be time to reconsider what appears to be. My sense is that we are living at the edge of a renaissance of Christian witness.

During the past century, secularization occupied space in the public world, doing its best to squeeze out faith. Then New Age religions sprung up, defying the secularism of the western world. Surprisingly, this movement turned to our advantage in that it challenged the secular bifurcation of life and argued that spirituality is at the centre of life.

Out with the old

In the late 1960s, we saw the collapse of an old and tired theological liberalism that had shaped much of Christianity in the first two-thirds of the century. As the century came to a close, its inability to draw people to faith showed up visibly on records of religious engagement, and more importantly, in its incapacity to shape public opinion and governmental policies.

Then to the surprise of most cultural gatekeepers, the Church and Christian communities that had been ignored and even ridiculed began to manifest energy and credibility in new and surprising ways. What had been considered mindless fundamentalism surprised the world with a vigorous intellectual commitment to ideas and creative approaches to ministry.

They also defied public assumptions as they showed a deep concern for social needs and issues of public concern. What at first mystified, then angered the liberal and social left, was an expressed determination to rightfully engage on issues of God’s wider creation.

Who would have predicted that immigrant communities would bring with them a deep Christian commitment and energy for evangelism, church planting and mission work? Their growing witness and influence is becoming increasingly profound.

Evangelical churches and community ministries that were caught in cultural backwater are now on the main street. Points of view on public issues that were once regarded as simplistic are being considered as thoughtful and reasonable.

In many towns and cities today, evangelical churches and ministries are often where cultural and religious groups find their centre. And let us not forget the rise and growing strength of Christian agencies, and their gentle but powerful witness of Christ to the needy.

Spiritual growth

Note the enormous number of spiritually driven activities on so many fronts. You can’t seem to go anywhere in our community today without running into prayer groups, prayer events, prayer networks and people praying for politicians, world evangelism, neighbourhoods and families. In my 45 years of public ministry, I’ve never seen such a deep and profound movement of the Spirit in prayer.

Then cast your eye across the many and varied ministries caring for children, youth, senior citizens, the mentally and physically challenged and the list goes on. Ministries that began in 1947 are experiencing a renaissance, while new initiatives sprout in places from ministry to the poor to Bay Street.

At the end of April, the Street Level conference in Ottawa gathered a remarkable array of ministries that care for street people trapped in all sorts of addictions. There they met to reinforce each other and to strategize for greater ministry. Evangelicals are collaborating and working in loving and supportive relationships with Roman Catholics and Christians of all stripes.

Note also the rise of Christian universities in Canada. Fifteen years ago the only one was Trinity Western University. Today there are more than 10. The commitment to Christian scholarship and training is not only changing our culture but will in time reverberate throughout our communities.

And what about the growing skills and outlets in various forms of media? David Mainse began the tradition, and now it has spread into journalism, film and television, something we might have only imagined a decade ago.

Within churches and communities, home Bible studies and cell groups proliferate the land. Here within caring and supportive small groups, people are wrestling with biblical issues and becoming disciplined in their own walks.

Profound shift

There is also a profound shift in our view of the world. We have moved from a sectarian mindset—believing our real calling was to hold our nose until we get to heaven—to a deep conviction that our Father cares about this world, and further, that His call to co-manage His creation given in Eden has not ceased.

Canadian pollster Ipsos Reid compiled a national study in 1993 and followed up 10 years later with another study. To the statement “I have committed my life to Jesus Christ,” 29 per cent responded affirmatively in 1993 and 44 per cent responded affirmatively in 2003.

To the statement “I receive forgiveness of sin through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ,” 61 per cent responded affirmatively in 1993, and 10 years later, 66 per cent responded affirmatively.

When asked why this seems so out of sync with our common assumptions, we were told that there is a perceptible shift to an orthodox Christianity.

Secular denial in retreat

The pendulum of secular denial is now in retreat. A culture that has done its best to deny matters of faith is hearing the growing cry of the human spirit as it cries out for its Creator. A lonely, hurting and lost humanity instinctively responds to its Creator. I’m not painting a rosy picture. Our world is angry, tough and trapped in its own narcissism. Let’s not be fooled. But neither should we be fooled by assumptions created by our fears.

We have no time to waste in preparing leadership for the Church and mission agencies here and worldwide. Let’s not fall into the trap missions did following the Second World War. After the Japanese emperor admitted publicly he was not God, General MacArthur pled with mission agencies to send missionaries. We by and large failed, and throughout these years Japan has been one of the most closed countries to Christian witness.

We have this window of opportunity. By God’s grace, let us meet it with creativity, faith and an abiding trust in the Lord’s counsel and wisdom.

Brian C. Stiller is president of Tyndale University College & Seminary in Toronto, Ontario.